


A Mating Bond

by crazy4malex



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-20
Packaged: 2019-11-15 04:52:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18066935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazy4malex/pseuds/crazy4malex
Summary: Alex starts exhibiting Isobel's symptoms and acquires Michael's abilities. This causing the gang to group together to figure what's going on.





	1. Chapter 1

Alex, you've been really aggressive lately, and...well mean just now. You made Maria leave because of you and you didn't even realize it." Liz frowned as she told Alex this bluntly.

"What are you talking about Liz, I just walked in here." Alex looked shocked. He couldn't imagine being mean or aggressive with Liz or Maria.

"What? Alex this is not a joke! Since when do you tell Maria her mother needs to go into a home. And telling me Rosa should have had her driver's license taken away from her so that her accident could have been avoided. Really, Alex! Like I don't know that. Like my dad doesn't know that. And you just come out and say that in front of him. What is wrong with you lately." Liz let out her anger and disappointment out on Alex.

"I mean you've been unpleasant and less than kind lately, but today was just down right mean and not like you."

"Liz, I'm not sure what is going on but I just walked in here. I don't know what you're talking about, I would never say those things! I would never say anything to hurt you or Maria."

Max had been having his morning coffee at the Crashdown and heard and saw everything. He frowned and his heart beat faster. He saw Alex come in and say those cruel things and had been surprised himself. Alex was always the nicest guy especially with Liz and Maria, his childhood friends. Then he'd come in and said exactly what Liz had said. But now the way he was acting made his heart race. He was sounding a lot like Iz.

It couldn't be. There was no connection. Except...but it didn't make sense. Isobel was the one who was sick, not Michael. But who knew what could happen when an alien and a human...mated. Could just mating with an alien cause something bad to happen? 

He needed to get Liz alone to remind her about Isobel and her issues that sounded  
just like Alex's. They might need to monitor Alex to see if he got worse or it happened again. Although from hearing Liz, it already had happened before.

Liz saw Max motioning to her and she almost didn't go over. She was still beyond angry with him, but he'd scored points when he told her to keep the serum she made to protect her and her friends from him and his family. But Max looked a little panicked so she went over to him, leaving a very confused Alex sitting in a booth looking shell shocked over what Liz had just said.

"What is it Max? Liz asked, a little impatiently. She hadn't finished talking to Alex.

"Liz, think about the way Alex was acting. He acted mean and out of character and then didn't remember it. Sound familiar?" Max asked.

"Max, what are you talking about?" Liz started and then thought about it and went pale herself. "No... Max no! How could this have anything to do with Alex? He doesn't hang around Isobel." she shook her head at the impossible connection. "There's no connection to any of you." she declared.

"You're wrong. He does have a connection. He's slept with one." Max said calmly, trying to keep Liz calm.

"Ahhh Max, you do know Alex is gay right? And Isobel is married."

"Alex and Michael have been together." Max confirmed quietly.

"What! Are you serious? Since when? He would have told me wouldn't he? Was he his other self then?" she asked her eyes roaming everywhere looking for answers.

"It started back in high school. Apparently it was very hot and heavy back then." Max explained.

"So Michael is museum guy...." Liz mused aloud.

"Who?" Max asked looking at Liz questioningly. 

"Never mind." Liz said and looked back at Alex. "So what makes you think Alex got this from Michael. Noah doesn't have signs does he? And he sleeps with Isobel." Liz reminded Max.

"I don't know, but what other connection is there?" Max asked. "Look, keep an eye on Alex and I'll go talk to Michael and see if he can think of anything he did....differently." Max swallowed awkwardly. 

*******

Michael was sitting on the bed of his truck at the junk yard he worked at and saw Max's truck long before it pulled up in front of him.

Before Max even rounded his truck Michael frowned. "What do you want?"

"I come in peace." Max said, actually meaning it but it also was funny. 

"You are NOT funny." Michael declared seriously.

"Okay, forget it, this is about Alex."

"What about Alex? Is he okay?" Michael jumped off the bed of the truck and faced Max.

"We don't know. He's been acting like Iz. He says things that aren't him and then he suddenly doesn't' remember anything about it. I saw it myself a few minutes ago at the Crashdown." Max explained.

Michael's face went ashen. No, this could not be happening. He couldn't lose both of them.

"Michael. Is there anything you can think of...anything you did...differently that could have caused this in him? He has no connection to Isobel but he does to you." Max acknowledged. 

"I don't...I can't...where is he?" was all Michael could say.

**********

"Good you're still here Manes." Maria stormed back into the Crashdown. "I don't know what your problem is lately, but your being obnoxious and I won't allow it." she started in on him with a finger in his face.

"Ahh Maria, I think Alex isn't quite himself right now." Liz tried to say, so Maria wouldn't confuse Alex even more and make things worse. Who knew how Alex would respond. Would he be their Alex or mean Alex?

"Don't you Maria me, Liz, Alex was rude and obnoxious and deserves to have his ass handed to him." she expressed in a Maria fashion. Maria was a little spitfire and you didn't want to get on her bad side if you could help it.

"Look, Maria, Alex is tired he just needs some..." before she could finish, Michael flew though the door with Max on his heels. 

"Where is he?" Michael said and then saw him and slowly approached Alex.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey." Alex smiled up at him, surprised Michael was talking to him after last week at the drive-in.

"Hey look, can we talk." Alex asked softly looking around. Then he noticed everyone looking at him. "What's going on? I feel like I'm in a dream or something. First Liz goes off on me about something and now Maria." he said confused. "And why is everyone looking at me?"

"Oh no Manes, you do not get to pretend you don't remember being an ass." Maria went 

off again before anyone can stop her.

"I don't know what you and Liz are talking about." Alex shouted back, now angry himself. 

Suddenly the sugar at his booth went flying across the room and crashed into the counter and hit the cash register.

Everyone looked from the broken sugar container back to Alex. 

"I...I didn't do that. How...what the hell was that?" Alex stared at the sugar container like everyone else.

Liz looked around the room and saw no one else was in there but them. She thanked the heavens for that.

"Michael." Max warned.

"I didn't do it Max." Michael answered hoarsely, looking at Alex in shock.

"What...what just happened?" Maria requested quietly. Suddenly she was calm. Too calm.

"Max...he has my abilities." Michael whispered, forgetting everyone else in the room.

"How is that possible!" both Max and Liz exclaimed at the same time.

"Abilities?" both Maria and Alex questioned at the same time.

"Oh shit." Michael looked overwhelmed. First Alex was sick like Iz, and now he had Michael's abilities. Plus, Maria and Alex needed to be told for there was no other rationalization for what they saw.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex starts exhibiting Isobel's symptoms and acquires Michael's abilities. This causing the gang to group together to figure what's going on.

"Let me." Liz said to Michael and Max. They were her friends. She looked at the two stunned friends who then looked at Liz when she came over to them.

"Okay guys, don't panic. I'll explain everything." Liz said quietly to Alex and Maria "You know how we were told that the alien crash was a weather balloon? Well it wasn't." She went on to tell them about Michael, Isobel and Max.

Maria and Alex looked from Liz to Michael and Max.

Alex's eyes landed on Michael's and stayed there. He wasn't sure what to think. Michael never told him. Even when they were younger and looking up at the stars, before it all went to shit.

Michael looked back, hating the accusation in Alex's eyes. 

"We didn't tell anyone, Alex. Not even Isobel's husband knows!" he defended.

"Noah doesn't know?" Alex asked, still looking at Michael. 

"Well, how did Alex do what he did?" Maria asked, now finally comprehending all that they had been told.

"We all have abilities," Michael began, looking at Alex as he spoke. "Mine is being able to move things and people with my mind."

"So how did I get it?" Alex posed. 

"We're not sure." Michael alleged. Then became uncomfortable and red faced. "We think it might somehow be because we slept together." Michael announced to the group. 

"What? When was this?" Maria asked, adding another new bit of information into her already overloaded brain.

Alex was just as uncomfortable as Michael with everyone discussing their love life and staring at them. He loved Michael, but having this discussion was still embarrassing. 

"Back in high school and now again recently." Alex answered his friend. Still uncomfortable.

"Museum Guy!" Maria put the pieces together.

Alex blushed more.

"And what's this about Isobel? What do I have that she has?" Alex asked to keep Maria from explaining 'Museum Guy' to them.

"Isobel is in lock down at a hospital. She has blackouts and can't remember the things she did during them. She... she killed Rosa during one of her blackouts. She becomes a different person when she's in her different state." Liz explained having gone ashen.

"Oh Liz." Maria whispered and hugged her friend.

The two held each other.

"So what? I'm could kill someone?" Alex panicked. "I can just come out of my blackout and find out I killed someone?" Alex swallowed hard.

"No! Alex, I won't let you." Michael promised completely serious.

"And how will you do that huh? You going to stick by me 24/7? How about when I'm at work?" 

"Wait, how did Alex get Isobel's sickness? He hasn't been near her. How could Michael give it to her. Noah hasn't gotten any of Isobel's sickness" Maria asked.

"We don't know." Max spoke up. "We don't know why or how Alex could have gotten Isobel's sickness."

"Alex, is there anything unusual that you can think of that you touched that was Isobel's, you know...alien?" Liz raised.

"Alien? No...I've never touched Isobel, or anything Alien...wait a sec. The metal piece in my basement!" Alex exclaimed.

"What?" Michael asked. "Metal piece?" 

"Yeah, I found a basement under the cabin and in the basement I found a piece of metal I've never seen before. It has writing on it and the writing glows and moves when I touch it." Alex clarified

"Holy shit!" Michael swore. "I have a piece like that. I believe it belonged to our space ship." he finished.

"Could Alex having touched that piece of the space ship caused his blackouts?" Liz asked.

"Could be?" Max frowned thinking over the new information."

"Well what difference does it make what caused it. How do I stop blacking out and maybe... I don't know... killing someone!?" Alex was getting hysterical.

Michael stopped his pacing and came over to sit by Alex who hadn't moved from the booth he had first sat down at. 

"Maybe I should be in lockdown as well." Alex swallowed, terrified of what he could do.

"It wouldn't help. You can unlock doors with your mind, and if you are someone else, you will unlock the doors." Michael explained.

"Look, why don't we all take turns watching over you for awhile Alex. We can watch you during the day," she said to Liz. "And Michael you can watch him at night."

Both Michael and Alex became uncomfortable. "Ahh...I'm okay with that if Michael is." he posed questioningly. 

Michael was shocked but swallowed and took the offering Alex was giving him. "Fine by me." he said and blushed again when everyone looked at them.

Alex was inwardly giddy for a minute thinking of Michael sleeping with him again. Then he swallowed again. "But how can anyone watch me at work?" Alex asked.

"Can you get some leave, Alex?" Michael asked.

"I guess I can. I have a lot coming to me." he replied.

"Well I don't get this. If Alex got Michael's abilities from ...sleeping with him, then how come Noah didn't get Isobel's abilities?" Liz asked.

"For all we know he did. But with Isobel, she has to concentrate and want to go into someone's consciousness. Noah doesn't know he can do that. If he can." Max explained having sat down on a stool and leaned back on the counter frowning in thought.

"Wait, so if someone slept with you Max, they'd have the power to heal?" Alex asked, still amazed by all this.

Max looked uncomfortable. "I don't know. It's possible I guess." Max answered, thinking of Cam and not looking at Liz.

"Okay, so we have Alex settled for now. He can hang around us during the day and Michael at night." Maria finished. 

"So I'm going to be baby sat. Just great." Alex muttered still scared out of his mind over the situation. "But it's better than blacking out and killing someone." he sighed.

"And if Alex becomes different again, and angry and aggressive, call me and I'll come help." Max said. "I'll swing by here or the Wild Pony when he's there." Max finished.

"Well, I can always go sit at Maria's and get shit faced." Alex muttered.

"Alex...We don't know if Alcohol will exacerbate the problem." Max explained.

"Max, Alex doesn't drink much, only when out with friends, and he never gets drunk. But no alcohol for you at all Manes." Maria stated with a finger pointed at Alex. 

Maria was getting her groove back. She had processed and accepted the situation.

"And Alex, you can help me around the Crashdown here. I can use help moving boxes and unpacking them, as some things are too heavy for my dad to lift." Liz explained.

"And you can help at the Wild Pony much the same." Maria added.

"Okay. So we have that settled, but what do we do to help both Isobel and me?" Alex asked, wanting things back to normal as soon as possible. The sooner the better.

"I'm working on something in the lab. A serum of some sort that hopefully will help Isobel and you from having these blackouts." Liz answered.

"I won't ask details." Alex said, putting his hand up to stop her from explaining more. He knew Liz could get very technical when she talked about her work.

"Well, it's getting late and I'm about to close. We're lucky no one's come in in the last hour or so." Liz said tiredly. It was draining all they had gone over. She could only imagine how her two friends were feeling. 

They all dispersed and Michael walked out with Alex. "I'll follow you home." Michael said to Alex. Wiping his hands on his pants in nervousness. 

"Sure." Alex agreed, feeling nervous himself and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

"We should drop by my place first, to get some things, clothes and stuff." Michael suggested.

"Okay, you follow me though, I don't want to have a blackout and drive another way." Alex stated worriedly. 

"You got it." Michael stated, upset that this was happening to Alex. He couldn't lose Alex to this shit mess. Michael thought.

When they were in Alex's cabin they both became uneasy. "You want me to take the couch? That way you can't get past me? I sleep light." Michael suggested.

"Michael...listen, I didn't mean what I said at the drive-in. I don't care about some scrap metal. I was worried about my dad. He would hurt you if he saw us together. He warned me off when he saw us at the drive-in together. I was worried for you. I still am." Alex stated.

"Alex..." Michael said, overjoyed at hearing all this. This couldn't be happening. Alex was explaining everything. "I can take care of myself you know." Michael stated.

"Well I didn't know that at the time." Alex sighed, rubbing the back of his neck again. "Besides, you can't use any of your abilities, he would find out about you and you'd be experimented on." Alex swallowed in fear of what would happen to Michael.

"Alex, you have to trust me, you can't live your life in fear of you father forever. He shouldn't ruin your life." Michael explained, coming in front of Alex and taking him in his arms for the first time in a week. He rubbed Alex's arms that were cold.

Alex agreed. He had come to that conclusion recently and was going to tell Michael, before all this mess happened.

"I know." he couldn't wait any longer. Michael holding him and warming him was driving him crazy. "Kiss me Michael." he whispered against Michael's ear.

Michael had been dreaming of hearing Alex ask him that again. He groaned and captured Alex's mouth in a deep kiss, causing Alex to growl when they pulled apart to breathe. 

"Bedroom." Alex sighed and took Michael's hand and led him to his bed.

Michael wasn't sure he wasn't dreaming. He had wanted Alex again so badly. After last time when Alex had given so much of himself and it looked like that time it was going to work for them, he'd only hoped Alex would take back the hurtful words he'd said at the drive-in. And now he had. Yep, Michael must be dreaming. But if he was, he didn't want to wake up.

When they reached Alex's bedroom, Alex leaned against Michael and was the one to devour his mouth. Nope, not dreaming Michael thought as he opened his mouth to take in more of Alex's kiss.

They couldn't get enough of each other. The years they had been apart were gone and they were young again.

They made it to the bed and Alex reached for Michael's huge belt that he found so sexy. The sound of the belt falling open and his hands undoing Michael's pants and zipper had Alex wild with lust. 

Michael sat Alex down on the bed when Alex finished undressing him and he gently took off the prosthesis and then the rest of his clothes. 

Alex slid back on the bed until he was leaning on the pillows and watched as Michael climbed over him. 

Alex handed him the lube from his side table and watched as Michael gently got him ready. He loved the gentle Michael as much as he enjoyed the fierce one. 

Michael was watching Alex watch his hands and it got him harder than he already was if that was possible. When Alex's eyes were drawn to his hardness Michael sucked in his breath. Alex looked hungry. Their eyes met and passion burned between them. 

Then Alex caught site of a tear rolling down Michael's cheek and gently wiped it away with one finger. "It's okay Michael."

"I thought I'd lost you again." Michael admitted, remembering his fear at the thought.

"I'm sorry. But I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere." Alex promised.

"Good, because this time I wouldn't let you go." Michael stated.

"Make love to me Michael. I need you." Alex pleaded.

"Always, Alex and I need you too. So much it drives me crazy." Michael's voice was rough with his hunger.

Then Michael slid into Alex and watched as they became one. Michael loved watching them join. It was so beautiful to him. Michael came off of his hands that were on either side of Alex, and onto his arms as he ran his hands through Alex's soft hair.

"You are my world Alex. You always have been and you always will be." Michael proclaimed.

"I've always loved you Michael. Even before our first kiss and I've never stopped loving you since." Alex admitted, finally feeling safe enough to say what he'd always wanted to say but never could.

Then Michael smiled and started a slow pace as he slid in and out of Alex.

When Alex couldn't take it any longer, he growled. "Make me feel it, Michael. Take me till I feel it tomorrow." he pleaded.

That got Michael and he swallowed as he did as Alex asked and their pace grew frantic, fierce, just the way Alex liked it.

Alex cried out first after Michael hit his hot spot over and over again. Alex coming so hard he thought he'd never come again.

Michael was soon to follow and they both collapsed next to one another.

They were breathing hard but when they looked at each other they chuckled. They were happy and felt like they were 17 again.

Alex rolled into Michael's arms and ran his hands up Michael's chest of curls and then slid them up into his curly head of hair and let his fingers slid through and hung on to his lover's curls until they both slept.

The next morning, when he finally got out of bed, Alex was limping. 

Michael looked over his shoulder as he made them breakfast and laughed. Then he went over to Alex to kiss his bed headed lover a good morning hello.

Now it was Alex's turn to laugh, for Michael was limping just as much. "You're one to talk." Alex teased. They had gone at it until the early morning hours. Now it was almost noon. 

Michael tickled Alex to get him back for teasing him and they both laughed until Alex cried out. "Quit it, I bite you know!" He warned.

They both laughed and Michael went back to pouring the batter onto the skillet.

"Hmmm homemade waffles!" Alex exclaimed. "I didn't know you could cook, Michael."  
he said leaning over Michael's shoulder to see.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me,babe." Michael teased.

"Ah but I now know the biggest one." Alex reminded him.

"And I am so glad. I've always wanted to tell you." Michael admitted.

"Why hasn't Isobel told Noah? Max obviously told Liz and they aren't even together." Alex asked, putting his arms around Michael's waste from behind and looking over his should as he cooked.

"We made a promise to each other not to tell anyone. We never should have made Iz keep it once she married Noah." Michael thought on that. 

"Well, maybe she could let him know now." Alex suggested.

"I think she'll have to. He needs to know the real reason she's locked herself away."

"So where am I going today?" Alex sighed remembering his own problem.

"Well, Maria called and said they got a new shipment of stuff that needs unloading and put away, so I'm taking you there after breakfast." Michael answered as he finished the waffles and shut off the stove.

"You mean lunch don't you?" Alex reminded him.

"Lunch." Michael agreed and dropped a kiss on Alex's lips.

 

Later, after Alex had finished going through the shipment Maria had received he took a break and had a soda to keep her company while she served a few regular patrons and came back to the counter to sit next to Alex.

"So, how are you doing with everything, Alex?" Maria asked.

Alex shook his head and swallowed. "Not good to tell you the truth." he admitted. "It terrifies me to think I can become someone else and not know it till I come out of my blackout. I mean even now it could happen. Even with you watching over me. I mean, what if I use my abilities to hurt you!?" he grew ashen.

"Stop that Alex, that's why we have Max and Michael on speed dial. They will be able to help if you do change." Maria soothed her friend.

"It's just frightening, Maria. I have no control and will have no idea when or if it happens." he admitted

"I know sweetie," Maria said taking Alex's hand. "So, tell me all about you and Guerin?" Maria now lowered her voice. She hoped bringing up something pleasant would get Alex's mind off of his problems.

"Maria!" Alex blushed.

"Don't Maria me, Alex Manes. You always used to tell me about all your crushes." she reminded him. 

"This is not a crush, Maria." Alex said seriously.

"Oh Alex, I figured it wasn't from the way the two of you were looking at each other last night." She admitted. She patted his hand and turned her swivel chair towards him completely and held both of his hands.

"Tell me how it was, getting back together again." she smiled.

"Maria Deluca! I'm not giving you details from last night!" he told her, his face growing red.

Maria laughed. "Oh so there are details to tell huh?" she teased.

"Deluca." Alex warned, but smiled at her. "He's the love of my life, Maria." he told her seriously now.

"Oh sweetie, I'm so happy for you. Have you told each other? Because he definitely loves you too. It was written all over his face last night." she admitted.

"Yeah... we talked. We told each other. There are no secrets left." he smiled.

"Oh so you had time to talk did you?" Maria asked looking at him innocently.

"Well not much but some." Alex decided to get back at her. "See the rest of the time, once Michael undressed me we..."

"Okay, okay, you win. No more." Maria laughed. He had turned the tables on her. 

 

Later that afternoon, Michael knocked on Liz's open lab door and came in when she turned around.

"Michael." Liz said in surprise.

"I just wanted to know how it was going? Are you any closer to helping Alex and Isobel?" he walked in and looked at some test tubes she had with blood samples from both Alex and Isobel. Then he looked over her notes. 

"You have the formula wrong. Here." Michael said and showed her where she'd messed up.

"I'm glad you caught that!" Liz exclaimed. Then she looked at him wonderingly. "Why don't you work on this with me. You're smart and could really help me speed things up if there were two of us." she suggested.

Michael raised his eyebrows. If he could help both of the people he loved he'd do anything. "Yeah, sure, just tell me what to do." 

When Michael picked up Alex that evening he told him about helping Liz in the lab. "We hope with the two of us working on the formula for a serum we'll figure it out faster." he smiled.

"I hope so." he said soberly and took Michael's hand while he drove. "Where are we going?" Alex asked when he saw they weren't heading for the cabin.

"I want to stop by to see Isobel." he explained as he turned into the facility that she was staying at. 

They received their visitor passes and took the elevator up. Alex was somber and quiet. Michael glanced over at him and squeezed his hand.

Michael knocked on the door and Noah answered it.

"Hey Michael, Alex. Come on in." he said and backed up to let them in. 

"Michael! Alex! Hey." Isobel lit up as they came in. She sat up on the edge of the bed and patted it for Michael to sit. Alex took the chair by the bed.

She looked at Alex. "Alex, I'm so sorry. If I did this to you.."

Alex didn't let her finish. "It's not your fault Isobel. We haven't had any contact at all. We think it might be the..." he hesitated when he remembered Noah was present. 

"It's okay, I told Noah. " Isobel smiled and beamed when she looked over at her husband, still amazed he hadn't run away. Noah was her rock.

Noah smiled across the room at his wife. "I wish I could help. I feel so helpless." he sighed.

"Well I started helping Liz in the lab today, hopefully between the two of us we can come up with something." Michael said positively.

"Alex, I really am sorry." Isobel said again, in a very somber tone.

"Isobel, really, we believe it's because I touched the alien part of your ship, that I found." Alex explained.

"Well, I'm still sorry you have to go through this too." then she turned to Michael. "Max came by and told me everything. I'm happy for the two of you." she smiled at Michael and Alex. "After all these years you deserve happiness Michael." Isobel said hugging her brother. 

Michael squeezed her back. Still upset she had to go though this.

When they left the facility, Michael had an idea. "Let's stop by my trailer and let me get my piece of the spaceship."

"What are you thinking?" Alex glanced over at Michael.

"If we put the two pieces together I want to see what would happen." he answered.


	3. Chapter 3

"This is a really stupid idea Guerin, no wonder my old man doesn't think much of you." Alex scoffed after they had gotten Michael's piece of the spaceship and were back at Alex's cabin.

Michael swung around and did a double take after hearing his lover's scornful words.

"Hang in there Alex, babe." Michael watched Alex closely as he moved the table and opened the basement trap door.

"What do you think you'll accomplish by putting these two space man pieces together. Gee Guerin, and they call you brilliant? No wonder you didn't get in any college." Alex continued to berate Michael. 

Michael tried to ignore the horrible things coming out of his lover's mouth by telling himself this wasn't Alex. He helped Alex the last few feet down the rungs, then began looking around for the whole in the wall and went over to it when he saw it. To him the room looked really creepy, but he focused on the alien shape inside the wall.

When he had both pieces out, side by side, he took a deep breath. 

"Come on Guerin, let's see this great miracle you're expecting ,you big dumb loser." Alex commented, as he went over to a chair to sit and gloat.

Michael looked from Alex to the two pieces of alien debris and slowly he pushed them together. They didn't match, but he was hoping that just the two touching would do something. He didn't really expect anything like a bright light or bells and whistles to go off when he put the pieces together, so he was surprised as hell when there was a searing sound and the two pieces melded together seamlessly.

"Well damn Guerin you..."

Michael looked at the metal and then back at Alex, waiting for him to finish his scorching comment. All he saw was his confused lover staring at him.  
"Michael? How did we get down here?" he asked, looking around in fright. "Oh my God, did it happen again? Michael?" Alex began to panic. "Did I hurt you? Did I try to?"

Michael came over to his panicked lover and knelt down beside him. "No, you didn't hurt me or even try to, babe. It's okay. You just have a wicked mean mouth when you aren't you."

"What happened when I was...not me. Why are we down here?" Then he remembered the last thing they were going to do. "Did you put the two pieces together? Did it work?" 

"Come see." Michael stood up in excitement and walked back over the table. Alex followed, just as anxious.

"Where's my piece?" Alex asked in confusion. 

"That is the two pieces, or it was." Michael smiled.

"Holy shit, Michael! You're a genius!" Alex whispered and hugged his lover tight. "Now let's just hope it works on Isobel."

"Well, it might have worked on you already, but there is no real way of knowing for sure until I talk to Liz and Maria. I need to find out how long you were blacking out and what was happening when you blacked out." Michael clarified as he carried the alien piece while they went back upstairs.

"What do you mean it might have already worked?" Alex asked as he helped Michael bring the table over the top of the basement again.

"Well, you were in the middle of saying something scathing and you stopped mid sentence when the two pieces melded together." Michael explain excitedly.

"Shit! So it worked!" 

"Well, I'm pretty sure, but like I said, I want to ask Liz and Maria how long you had been having your blackouts and what were you doing when you blacked out. What was the reason for you blacking out." Michael tried to keep Alex from getting too excited.

"What I was doing when I had them? What do you mean, like what was I eating or saying?" Alex asked, frowning.

"More like was it something stressful that was going on? Someone say something to set you off? Something like that." Michael continued as he came and sat next to Alex on the couch.

"You think that's what caused Isobel's blackouts? Trauma of some sort? Something she heard or thought? Some trigger." Alex finished.

"Exactly." Michael said picking up his phone and calling someone.

Alex waited while Michael was on the phone. 

"Noah. Yeah, it's me. She what!? Are you sure? It's never happened before? Max is there? Put Max on the phone."

Alex rubbed Michael's thigh to keep him calm as he listened to the one sided phone conversation.

Michael looked over at Alex when he felt his lover's touch and put the phone on speaker.

"Yeah, Michael, it's me. Listen, something different happened with Isobel a little while ago." Max began.

"What happened?" Michael waited expectantly. 

"She was in the middle of ripping Noah apart with some nasty comments when she stopped mid sentence. That's never happened before. Usually she finishes what ever she's doing and then goes to sleep." Max told Michael.

"That's why I was calling!" Michael smiled brightly at Alex and reached for his hand, clasping it tightly. "Max, I might have found out how to end the blackouts for both Iz and Alex." Michael whispered, lowering his voice as if saying it aloud might jinx it.

"What did you do? Just a few minutes ago you mean?" Max inquired, confused but hopeful.

Michael explained what he had done, and how it had also worked the same way on Alex.

"It worked! Michael, you did it!" Max shouted in excitement.

Alex smiled at Michael. Michael glanced at Alex but squeezed his hand as he continued.

"I want to make sure it wasn't just a one time thing. You know how we believe Isobel is triggered by high stress or abandonment issues?" Michael went on. "Well, I think maybe Alex has some stressor too."

"And you want to make sure we hit those triggers again before we for sure think they are cured." Max stated, finishing Michael's thought.

"Yeah. Look it's been a long day, and it's late. Let's all meet somewhere tomorrow. I want to talk to Liz and Maria about Alex too." Michael reminded him. 

"Yeah, okay, sounds good. We still have to figure out what this alien object has to do with healing both of them. Great work today Michael." they could tell Max was smiling into the phone.

"Don't thank me yet, Max, let's just make sure before we get too hopeful."

"Downer." Max teased.

When they hung up Alex hugged Michael. Both were exhausted. Alex from the stress of worrying if he was going to kill someone and not know it, and Michael from his nerves about both Alex and Isobel.

"Wait, what about your ability, babe? Do you still have that?" Michael asked as they headed for the bedroom. 

Alex concentrated on lowering the covers to the bed and both raised their eyebrows.

"I guess so." Michael frowned. "Sorry, Alex, I guess it's a side effect of sleeping with an alien."

"I don't mind." Alex grinned then kissed Michael on the lips and yawned.

They barely had the energy to undress before they were asleep, curled up in each other's arms.

 

The next day Michael pulled into Max's driveway and saw everyone else was already there, including Kyle. He frowned.

"Be nice, Michael. Kyle's changed. We had a long talk last week and cleared the air." Alex soothed, rubbing Michael's arm.

"What so now you guys are 'besties'." Michael air quoted sarcastically.

"Michael." Alex warned nicely.

"Okay, fine, the doc can be here." he grumbled.

Alex opened the screen door and they let themselves in. 

"Michael!" Isobel called from across the room and ran to him.

Michael grinned as she flew at him and he was almost thrown over when she hugged him at a flying run.

"Iz, I'm glad you're out of that place, but let's make sure that this thing is the cure." Michael stated showing everyone the alien material.

Everyone crowded around the table to see the object.

"So it just melded itself together?" Liz asked in fascination. Leaning over the object and pulling her hair out of the way.

"Yeah." Michael said in amazement, himself, now that he had time to think about it.

"So how do you think this thing being brought together was able to help Iz and Alex?" Noah asked taking Isobel's hand when she returned to his side.

"Well, I had time to think about it and I'm wondering if the two pieces needed to be brought back together in order to create balance again." Michael began.

"Balance? Like Alex and Isobel were out of balance?" Maria asked, sitting at the table and looking the alien object over.

"Well, sort of. See, with Iz, I think her triggers are high stress related fears of abandonment. And this makes her unbalanced. And the more it happened the more unbalanced it made her." he started to explain.

"How come you and Max don't have this imbalance? Or do you all have the possibility of blacking out only your triggers haven't been found yet." Kyle asked.

Michael gave him a glaring look. "Well if Max and I do have these 'so called' triggers that haven't been tapped yet, then they will have been put back in balance as well." he said not likening the doc questioning his hypothesis.

"So what about Alex? Why does he have this thing happening to him? He doesn't have any ties to the alien object like Isobel, does he?" Maria asked.

"No, but the only thing I can come up with is he touched the object. This is what I wanted to ask you two about. Liz, Maria, when did Alex first start blacking out?" Michael questioned.

"What, about three weeks ago or so?" Liz looked at Maria for confirmation.

"Yeah, about that." Maria nodded.

"About the time I found the alien object." Alex stated.

"Right, so with you, by touching it you somehow unbalanced yourself." Michael concluded.

"But he had touched something alien 10 years ago by touching you, Michael." Kyle reminded them.

Again, Michael glared at him. "An object from the crash that was not a person."

"Or I would have had blackouts over the past decade." Alex finished now glaring at Kyle himself.

"Can we get back on topic guys." Max sighed. He knew how Valenti was Michael's least favorite person.

"So whatever the reason, the alien object worked, we need to make sure it stays working or that it really worked in the first place. So what are some of the things going on when you noticed Alex start to grow sarcastic and cruel?" Michael asked Liz and Maria.

"Well... I was thinking about this last night after Max called, Maria do you remember the first time Alex got mean?"

Maria nodded. "We were all at the Wild Pony."

"And we were talking about why Alex hadn't started dating in the two months he'd been back. And at the time I didn't realize what he was looking at, but now that I think about it, it was you he was looking at Michael."

"So what? Michael is Alex's trigger?" Maria asked." And what about his ability? Does he still have it?" 

"Yep, I still do." Alex grinned. Most of them rolled their eyes.

"So Michael causes Alex's triggers? How will that allow them to be together?" Isobel asked, still snuggled up in her husband's arms.

"I think it's more, the idea of not being with Michael, that triggered Alex." Max commented. "When was the next black out you can remember Liz? What were you doing?"

"We were driving out to the desert to gaze at the stars. Alex hadn't had time to just relax since he'd been back, so the two of us went to talk and look at the sky." Liz explained. Then turned to Maria. "Remember you had to work that night."

Maria nodded.

"We were looking up at the sky and I said something about when was the last time he had gotten a chance to see the open skies of New Mexico? Then he went off on me. He got kinda violent and it worried me. Then he came out of it, and we looked up at the stars some more, I just thought he was in a mood." Liz confirmed. 

"Alex? When was the last time you looked up at the stars here in New Mexico?" Michael was pretty sure he knew but wanted confirmation.

Alex thought about it, still trying to process what Liz had said, she'd never told him that before. When he remembered, he looked up at Michael. "It was with you, right before I left for the air force."

"So Michael is your trigger." Noah stated.

"More like remembering the good times we lost out on." Alex realized, still looking at Michael.

Michael held out his arms to Alex, he came into them and they stayed like that. They were leaning against the bar stool and counter that separated the kitchen from the rest of the house.

"So now we know their triggers, how do we push those buttons again to see if it changes them or not." Max wondered allowed. He as sitting on a bar stool next to Michael and Alex.

"Well I'm not sure, but Alex also had one more trigger." Michael started. "He went into mean mode when we were getting ready to put the two pieces together." he finished. 

"As if mean Alex didn't want to change back if it worked." Maria concluded.

"That sounds about right." Liz said, sitting at the table with Maria, still studying the alien object.

 

"Well hopefully both of those triggers are gone now. But I'm still not sure how we will know for sure? Isobel and I need to know you guys are safe from us." Alex said anxiously.

"I need to know if I should go back to the hospital or not." Isobel stated just as anxious as Alex.

"Well since your triggers seem to be taken away, Alex, you should be fine. I mean, now that Michael and you are back together again. You shouldn't have those lost feelings again, but we'll all watch for them. And Isobel, now that Noah knows, you won't feel so abandoned if Michael or I talk about leaving, which we won't now that Michael and you are settled for sure." Max explained.

"But they do seem to have been cured since they both stopped their other person right when Michael put the two pieces together." Noah said positively.

"Sounds like it to me too." Max believed. "The imbalance seems to be a good theory."

"Well now that that is settled, why don't we all head to the Wild Pony tonight and celebrate." Maria invited.

"Michael and I are in." Alex smiled. He loved being around his friends.

"Liz?" Maria asked. "The three musketeers should be together."

"Sure." Liz agreed smiling.

"We're in." Isobel affirmed, surprising Max. Isobel didn't usually like the Wild Pony or the humans."

"I'll be there." Max finally agreed.

"Kyle?" Maria asked the only member who had not responded.

"I can't, I have to be at the hospital tonight." he apologized.

"Well, I'll see the rest of you there tonight." Maria said, smiled at Alex, squeezed his arm, and left.

Liz was soon to follow, hugging Alex on the way out.

"Well, thanks for helping Isobel, Michael, we're gonna head out too." Michael herded Alex out the door.

In the truck, Alex was quiet. 

"What's up, babe?" Michael asked giving his lover a side glance. 

Alex turned and watched as Michael's curls blew around in the wind from the open window and smiled, with a twinkle in his eyes. "I'm just thinking about everything. Letting it settle, you know?"

Michael looked at Alex again then back to the road. "Yeah, I know." Michael said and was quiet the rest of the way to Alex's cabin.

When they had to stop again at Michael's trailer, Alex frowned. 

"Michael, why don't you bring all of you stuff to the cabin." he suggested quietly.

Michael froze. "Are you asking me to move in with you, Captain Manes?"

Alex saw him freeze up and wondered if he had pushed to far, but then Michael smiled. "Can I put the trailer on your property? Then I can keep a lot of my experimental stuff in it?"

Alex let out a breath and smiled. "Sounds like a plan. But what are you going to do about the junk yard job. Don't you need your trailer there?"

"Well...a week ago I was approached by Liz's lab and asked if I'd come work for them. At the time my answer would have been no, but when I hesitated, they told me to think about it. I'm going to take the job now." Michael grinned.

Alex could tell he was proud. And Alex was proud too. He went over to Michael and hugged him tight. "Congratulations, love." he whispered in awe at his brilliant man.

That night at the Wild Pony they were all drinking pretty good. Max stayed sober to be the designated taxi driver for his hilarious friends. And yes, he now considered Alex, Maria and Liz his friends, and he thought Isobel did too, with the way she was playing word games with them so carefree. He was pleased to see her and Michael truly happy for once, and it was due to the humans.

"Okay, Okay," Maria continued, "what was the most embarrassing moment of high school?"

When it came to Alex he grinned. "Kissing Granger Parks." He nodded emphatically. 

"What? That ass." Michael frowned and put his arm around Alex in a possessive way.

Everyone laughed. "Okay, my turn." Noah stated, pretty drunk. Probably celebrating Isobel's being home again.

"What was your worst memory in high school?" he asked.

Everyone laughed, thinking of lighthearted worst memories. All except Michael and Alex. Both froze in their seats.

Max noticed, being the only other person who knew what had happened that night long ago when he'd tried to heal Michael's hand and been told he couldn't and why. He watched Alex carefully, as this would be a perfect time for him to turn into his other person.

Michael watched Alex, as well, when they both froze. He also wondered if Alex was going to become acerbic again. But when he just looked over at Michael with his own worry in his eyes for his love, he and Max relaxed and let out their breaths. "I really think it worked." Max whispered to Michael as he leaned in next to him.

Michael grinned in relief.

"My worst memory was dating Noah." Isobel said and everyone froze.


	4. Chapter 4

"What?" Isobel looked around at everyone. "I was just kidding." she smiled and kissed her husband on the lips.

Everyone relaxed.

"What?" Isobel asked once again when she realized everyone was very quiet all of a sudden. "Oh my God! You thought I was the other Isobel. I'm so sorry guys." she said with tears in her eyes. She knew how scary she could be in that state.

"It's okay Iz. We're just a little jumpy, but look, you and Alex haven't had an episode since the object melded together." Max soothed.

The rest of the night they were back to laughing and playing drinking games.

Max took all of them home that night. When he dropped Michael and Alex home he shook his head and chuckled. He didn't know who was going to help who in the door tonight, but he rode off, letting them figure it out. He'd done his good deed.

"Michael, why are you sitting on the steps. Let's go in?" Alex whispered.

"You're sitting on the steps too, bud." Michael grinned, nudging Alex who was leaning on him.

"Oh." he said and giggled.

"Oh man, you're wasted. You just giggled." Michael laughed. 

"Did not, that was a manly chuckle." Alex defended, sulking now.

"Come on, it's getting cold out here. Let's get inside." Michael said and continued to sit there.

"Michael? We're still sitting outside." Alex stated a few minutes later.

"Oh, okay, let's get up then." He replied and actually got up this time, weaving back and forth as he helped his lover get up too.

It took them three tries to get each other in the doorway. Once they were in, Alex headed for the couch but Michael pulled him along to the bedroom.

"No sitting, come on, it's time for bed, babe." Michael fell into the wall with Alex leaning on him and with his forward momentum and they both went sprawling on the floor.

Alex was almost asleep so Michael found the strength to get Alex up and on the bed. He managed to take off Alex's prosthetic before crashing next to Alex.

 

Liz was working in her lab the next morning when there was a knock on her open door. She looked up and saw Michael.

"Michael? What are you doing here? Is Alex okay?" she asked, coming toward him as he lounged in the doorway.

"He's fine." Michael grinned. "But I may not be. Maybe it wasn't smart to get wasted the night before my first day here." he said, then rubbed his temples, looking a little grey.

"I know the feeling." She rubbed her own head. "But what are you doing here then? Wait, first day?" Liz asked as she went over to a beaker and turned down the burner under it. Then looked back up to Michael.

"I'm working here now." he grinned, waiting to see the look on her face.

Liz raised her eyebrows but then she smiled. "Well it's about time. We all know you're probably the smartest person in this building." 

Michael cleared his throat, shifted his feet and put his hands in his pockets, now uncomfortable with the praise. "So I just came down to tell you Alex wants to know if you have lunch plans. He still has another two days of time off and it's killing him. He's bored."

"Sure, when do we go?" 

"We don't. I can't make it. I have to do an orientation of the facility and get my badge and picture taken and you know the rest." Michael confirmed, standing up straight and turning away. "Just call him when you have a minute. He knows how you don't answer your phone when you're busy." he called over his shoulder. 

After a pot of coffee, Alex felt normal enough to shower and go to lunch with Liz and Maria.

He smiled as he pulled into the lot of the Crashdown. Michael had been sweet enough to have filled a pot for him and left a note with a smiley face on it. 

As he entered, Kyle pulled into the lot and jumped out of his truck. 

"Alex, I'm glad you're here too." He said in a hurry and whispering.

He led Alex into the cafe and headed toward a booth he saw Maria and Liz in. 

"We're in trouble." he started sliding into the booth and letting Alex have the outside.

"Why? And who's we?" Maria asked, taking a fry that was sitting in a pile on a plate in the middle of the table.

"Alex, you're dad is getting really close to finding out about our friends." Kyle whispered, looking around and leaning closer to them all. His arms on the table.

"Why are you whispering and looking around." Liz asked, leaning forward herself and now looking around. There were only three other people in the Crashdown and they looked harmless.

"He has eyes everywhere." Kyle raised his voice a little, but not by much.

"He, meaning my father?" Alex asked and looked more worried than Liz and Maria because he knew his father. He believed everything Kyle told them.

Liz and Maria looked skeptical. "What do you mean he has eyes everywhere. Kyle isn't that a little paranoid of you." Maria paused with the fry still in her hand.

"No. He's not being paranoid at all. I can totally can see my father doing that." Alex explained.

"I was there. He asked for my help in getting my dad's files. He took me to a bunker he has at the old crashdown site, it's full of information about the alien crash, pictures of Michael, Max and Isobel, some going back to where they were first found on the side of the road." Kyle said softly.

"Why would he trust you? Why would he take you to his secret bunker?" Liz asked, grabbing a fry as the plates of food came for the three friends who had ordered ahead.

Kyle waited until the waitress was back on the other side of the counter before continuing. 

"He trusts me because I'm a Valenti and when he approached me about my father's files, I was suspicious so I played along, that I too was interested in the truth and would gladly help in any way I could, so I could get info." Kyle replied.

"So what did you find out so far?" Maria asked, digging into her salad.

"He has tons of information and I would have loved to get my hands on it." Kyle replied.

"Did you give him your dad's files?" Alex asked with a frown as he too picked up his burger and took a bite. 

"Some of them, but not any that really helped him in his quest for proof that you three are aliens. I think that's what he's trying to do. He has you all being watched. I saw the live video feeds." Kyle answered taking a fry from the middle of the table.

"What can we do? If he's got ways of watching all of you, and possibly us, this is really dangerous and creepy." Liz commented with a shiver.

"I'm going to find out just what he has down there." Alex declared seriously.

 

Michael was just getting off work when he saw someone leaning against his truck. He curled his hands into fists, then loosened them as he came up in the sergeant's face.

"Looks like you're in the wrong place." Michael pulled off his calm macho swagger that he knew would piss the man off.

"You are going down Guerin. You didn't take my warning 10 years ago. You're now doing your perversions with my son in public. You two are living together in sin. But I know what you're up to. You're trying to infiltrate us by using my son. Now maybe on your planet everyone is a filthy perverted alien, but you don't come down here, pervert my son and try to use him to find out all of our weaknesses as a human race." he stated just as calmly, but his fists were balled up.

Michael flinched inwardly about the 'alien' part of Jesse Manes' attack. "You're crazier than you were 10 years ago sarg." Michael made the word sarg sound disgustingly condescending. "You were a monster then and you're a crazy monster now. And if you think you can intimidate me now like you did when I was a kid, you're going to regret it. Don't think I've forgotten what you did 10 years ago. You crazy animal. Don't tempt me to return the favor." Michael smiled, a calm smile, went around the man, took off in his truck, and left him in the dust.

He drove home with his teeth gritted and fists balled. He had wanted to hurt the man so badly, but he had a feeling the monster had been trying to provoke him. Did he suspect they had abilities he could get proof of? Michael had wanted to throw the man across the parking lot and onto an on coming car for what he had done to Alex all those years ago, and what he had done to them.

When he got home, Alex was making dinner. He decided to tell Alex about his encounter of the crazy kind after they were done eating.

"Hey." Alex greeted and smiled when Michael came over and ravaged his mouth before slapping his butt and heading for the bedroom.

Alex decided to tell Michael what he'd found out after dinner. After all, why ruin dinner.

"That mother fucker! He has been video recording us?" Michael swore at the invasion to their privacy.

"God, do you think he's had this place video taped? According to Kyle he saw the front of Max's yard being watched by live feed!" Alex added. Getting up to pace the floor at the thought.

"Hey, relax, he doesn't have the inside on live feed and he doesn't have a bug in here anywhere." Michael tried to calm his lover.

"How do you know?" Alex sighed and sat back down on the couch.

"If you were thinking clearly you would known that if he had a bug in here he would have all the proof he needed to nail me. We've talked about our abilities enough, and shown our abilities on camera, if there was one as well." Michael soothed, taking his hand.

Alex looked down at their joined hands and lifted them up to kiss Michael's. It was the one his father had maimed. "I can't believe he had the nerve to try to intimidate and threaten you."

"Yea, well, I'm just glad I was able to control myself and not throw him across the parking lot." Michael added.

Alex slid his hand up Michael's tense jaw and that seemed to calm him. He looked into Michael's beautiful brown eyes so full of emotions. Most of the time he showed the world a detached, uncaring man, but to Alex he showed all of his vulnerabilities. His eyes were always filled with emotion. Tonight his emotions were filled with love and lust.

Alex smiled. He wanted to make love with his man. The past couple of nights they had been so emotionally drained they'd been too tired, but tonight it was time for some fun. Some love and fun.

"Take a bath with me?" Alex asked and stood and held out his hand.

Michael took the offered hand and looked deep into Alex's eyes. 

"A bath with you? Couldn't have asked for better. Loosen our stress and spend some time lov'n." And he gave Alex a quick kiss on the mouth and headed for the bathroom. "I'll start the water." he called over his shoulder.

Alex smiled and closed the lights in the outer room, then joined his lover in the bedroom.

He heard the water running and headed into the bathroom. 

Michael had lit the four candles they kept in there and had shut the lights. The scene was relaxing and romantic. 

Alex liked that he was the only one to see this soft, romantic side of Michael.

He came to stand in front of Michael. Then looked him up and down. He was so beautiful. Every sinewy muscle, every curly light brown hair from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Alex drank him in.

"Someone's overdressed. Michael replied softly.

Alex changed that quick enough with Michael's help. Michael always took precautions with his prosthesis, then held him upright and picked him up and carried him over his shoulder, making Alex laugh.

He walked them into the sunk in tub and sat down with Alex on his lap.

He kissed Alex and then dunked him under the water till Alex came up sputtering. 

"And here I thought you were being all romantic." He coughed, wiping the water out of his face.

Michael chuckled and Alex realize his lover was in a playful mood. Well two could play at that game.

Alex reached for Michael's hard cock and slowly moved his hand up and down, startling a soft moan from him.

Then Alex leaned in. "You like that?" he asked in a whisper by Michael's ear?

"Mmmmmm," Michael hummed. Then shot up and swore when Alex pulled gently on a curl of his pubic hair.

Now it was Alex's turn to chuckle.

"Okay, okay, uncle!" Michael chuckled as well.

Then he turned to reach for the shampoo and washed Alex's hair gently. When he finished he took the wash cloth and ran it down Alex's perfect body. He loved everything about his lover's firm, but smooth, body. When he got to Alex's cock, he gently took him in hand and did a soft sliding motion up and down, moving faster at Alex's prompting.

Alex arched back into Michael's arms, put his arms around his heck and kissed his lover backwards as Michael looked down and devoured Alex's mouth. All the while still stroking Alex.

"Stop." Alex pleaded as he pulled away from the kiss. 

Michael frowned a little until Alex turned around and faced him. He took Michael's rigid cock in his hand and using the lube they kept in the soap dish, he got himself ready.

Michael sucked in his breath as he watched Alex get himself ready. He wish he could see it, but the water was too cloudy with soap.

Then Alex slowly slid down on Michael's cock and when he was sitting flush on top of his lover, he started slowly at first, then faster, an up and down motion on Michael's swollen cock. Michael growled through gritted teeth as he came.

When they had both come, Alex leaned against Michael's chest and started licking his curly nipples, gently laving them. It wasn't to arouse so much as to just enjoy being free to touch Michael whenever he wanted to.

When they were back in bed, snuggled up and just enjoying being together, Michael slowly running his hand up and down Alex's arm, he looked into Alex's eyes.

"I'm going to go with you tomorrow when you go check out the bunker your father has." Michael stated.

Alex nodded. "I figured you'd want to. I think we should get there early. He usually has a morning meeting every day at 9am sharp. We can be at the bunker by 8:30."

 

The next morning they looked around the deserted area and the dry desert landscape before them. Alex slid the pad lock open with his mind and they went down the stairs.

"Holy shit!" Michael said as they looked around and they saw the big monitors with Max, Isobel and their house on live feed.

"Oh God." Alex whispered. "Good thing you checked the truck for bugs. Don't want him to find out where we've gone today."

"Well fuck him if he does." Michael growled, so angry at the invasion of privacy and thinking of what Alex's father could have seen if they had used their abilities outside of their houses. Especially Max and their houses' being so far out in the middle of nowhere. 

"Look at all these surveillance pictures and other files over here." Alex called from across the room.

Michael came over and they saw the boxes filled with files. "Why don't you take that box and I'll start on this one and we'll see what we find that's of any real interest to us." he suggested.

They were so engrossed in looking though the files, and taking snap shots of the important looking ones, that they didn't hear the snick of the door opening, but they heard it closing. They froze and turned around.

They were expecting Jesse Manes but only saw a yellow mist surrounding them, making it hard to breath, acrid tang causing them to cough. Michael had nothing in his abilities to fight gas substances so he just pulled Alex into a corner and waited out the pipe the gas was coming from to finish emitting its substance. 

When it finally cleared, Alex and Michael looked each other over, surprised they hadn't been knocked unconscious and that they didn't seemed to be affected by the substance. 

They looked to the door when it reopened and closed.

There was Jesse Manes with a Beretta M9 pistol. One of the deadliest air force pistols around. 

Michael was tempted to remove the pistol from Manes' hand but didn't want to give his power away. But he would if it was going to put Alex in danger.

Jesse Manes came closer and kept the pistol on both of them, as he looked over what they had been doing at the table. 

When he saw the files were out and being looked through, especially the evidence he had collected about Michael, Isobel and Max, Jesse's jaw clenched and he turned to them with an evil smile.

"You found my files. And ones that are important in my research into proving that you and you're two friends are aliens. Too bad you won't be able to use them. You won't live to use them. And you've given me a perfect specimen to work on. Thank you." Jesse said and motioned them to another door.

Alex swallowed imagining what was behind the door. He'd heard about some of these bunkers. They had been used to experiment on aliens.

"Don't do this. You're wrong about Michael, Isobel and Max. I don't know where you got this in your head that they are aliens, but you're going to find out how wrong you are." Alex stated angrily, but with fear deep in his gut.

"Well then I'll just kill the two of you and start my research all over again. But I don't think I'm wrong at all. You see, you haven't gotten to Michael's file yet. You're the only one I've actually seen use your abilities outside." he smirked. His eyes black as night. He had no soul.

Alex had seen his father like this before, and it was usually before he beat the living shit out of him or that one night he'd..." He hated to think of that night. But this time he didn't just have a hammer, he had a deadly weapon.

They went into the next room and Alex's assumptions were right. They were in a chamber of horrors.

"Why does Alex have to be here? He doesn't have any proof if you take away his phone, then you can let him go. No one will believe him without proof." Michael tried to protect his lover.

"Oh no, Alex is going to stay right here and watch his perverted alien lover  
get what he deserves. He's going to see for himself that you are an alien as  
I carve you up and dissect you. That will be his punishment for not listening  
to me and staying away from you in the first place. Then I'll take care of my  
son. After he sees what I do to you this time. " he smiled malevolently. 

Michael decided that since Manes knew of his abilities, he'd just take the pistol away from him. He tried and realized he couldn't. He looked from Alex to himself and shrugged helplessly.

Alex got the message and turned ashen. Michael couldn't get the gun away? Alex had been trying without success, but thought he'd just lost them. That's what he'd been hoping for, that all this time, nothing his father had said would actually happen because he knew Michael could stop it. Now it seemed he couldn't either. Cold terror ran though Alex's whole body. He thought he was going to be sick.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: SOME TORTURE AND VIOLENCE.

"You're trying to take the gun away aren't you? Not working is it?" he grinned again, menacingly, putting one scalpel in his pocket and one he brought to the table where Michael was. 

"Well it won't. That smoke I threw in here blocked your abilities. See they, meaning my ancestors, developed that serum back when they found out the other two aliens they captured, back in 1947, had abilities, one just like yours by the way, and they worked on a serum back then. " Jesse paced the room, gliding his fingers over all these vile instruments of horror as he explained calmly.

"They kept that alien alive long enough to test the serum on it and it worked. They've had a working serum a long time, just waiting for more aliens." Then he stopped talking and told Michael to get on the table in the middle of the room.

"Over my dead body." Michael ground out, his fists balled. He was scared spitless, but wouldn't show it. He held Alex tight in his arms trying to protect his lover.

"I thought you might say that. Well don't think I won't shoot my son. He's been perverted and contaminated by you. Now get on the table or I will shoot him in a different place each time you disobey until he's writhing in pain, and then I'll kill him." 

Michael got on the table, put the straps on and Alex's dad tightened them.

"Don't do this! This is vile, it's not humane to do this to another person! Please don't. I promise to stay away from him. I'll do whatever you want. Take it out on me! Just leave him alone. He's innocent! He isn't an alien!" Alex pleaded tears streaming down his face. 

The torturous looks on Alex's face as he pleaded, where killing Michael. He hated that Alex would be made to watch.

"Too late for that. Not only will I cut him open, but I won't use any pain killers or knock him out. I want to see what his threshold for pain is. They've adapted and could have gotten better with managing their own pain by now." Alex's father went on, ignoring his son's pleas. 

He went over to Michael, ignoring his sons' cries of pain. He placed the pistol down on the scalpel tray and made the first slit in Michael's chest, enough to cut through, but not enough to pierce the heart. He wanted the heart in good condition. If there was a heart. He thought to himself.

Michael arched up from the table in agony his screams tearing from his body sounded like sounds Alex has never heard before. Alex screamed and ran at his father, not caring what his father did to him. 

His father sighed and moved away from the table and picked up the hand gun again and shot Alex in the shoulder. Alex cried out but kept coming. Jesse Manes sighed again and put a bullet in his son's other shoulder leaving Alex helpless to attack him.

He dragged his son over to a wall they hadn't noticed that had chains hanging from it. He placed Alex's arms and legs into them, ignoring the helpless cries coming from Alex as his wounded shoulders were put in the chains behind him.

"Now then." Jesse said calmly, "back to business."

He leaned over Michael and cut the other side of his chest, starting to make the V of the autopsy cuts that were usually made.

Then he suddenly dropped the knife, took the gun and put it on the scalpel tray again.

Alex looked to where Isobel and Max were standing in the door way and slumped in relief.

Isobel ran to Michael with Max right behind her. 

Isobel wasn't worried about Jesse as she had used her influence to tell Manes to put down the knife and stand back and do nothing. She knew he was good until she released him.

"Help him Max!" Alex cried out. His lover looked really bad from here. Thank God though, Michael was finally unconscious. 

Isobel unlocked Alex and they both went back to Michael.

Isobel and Alex stood back to let Max work on Michael. 

None of them saw Jesse take the other scalpel out of his pocket, but they saw him put up an arm to bring the scalpel across Max's throat.

Alex was closest to the gun and he shot his father without thinking. He just aimed and shot the man who had been his nightmare for years. He'd ignored the pain in his shoulder and just took his father out.

Isobel watched in shock as Alex calmly put the gun down, and walking around his father's dead body he went on the other side of Michael, watching as Max healed him. She put her hand to her chest in surprise and continued to watch Max.

It took a lot out of Max to heal Michael and he threw up three times before he completed the task.

When he finished, Michael started to come around. Michael smiled when he saw Alex but then he frowned at all the blood on his lovers shoulders and arms.

"Alex, you were shot!" Michael remembered, in a panic. He saw how Alex had taken two horrible shots by that big ass Beretta M9 pistol.

When Alex finally registered Michael's words he looked down and then passed out from the loss of blood. The shock of all of it having worn off.

Max helped Un strap Michael and Michael jumped up and put Alex on the table. "Max! Help, please. He tried to protect me." Michael explained.

Max worked on Alex, again taking more time than usual, but he only through up two time. 

When he was better, they all stared down at the body of Jesse Manes.

"Alex, you okay?" Michael asked, gently placing his hand on his arm.

"Fine. We just have to decide what to do with him. He can't be found here and there can't be any of this stuff found here either." he said, thinking rationally.

"We are not burning his body or putting it in another car crash." Isobel insisted, hand wrapped around herself.

"What can we do with him? I can get all this stuff on the truck, Michael said and then thought about that. "Wait, can I? I wonder if that stuff ever wears off...." as Michael thought aloud he tried to move one of the tv monitors with his mind and couldn't. "I can't move it. Alex?" he asked his lover to see if he could.

Alex tried and shook his head. No. I can't either." he frowned.

"What happened to your powers?" Max asked with a worried look towards Isobel.

They explained about the serum gas and Isobel nodded. 

"That could explain why your father didn't stay in place as I'd persuaded him to in my mind."

"What about Max though, how come he still has his abilities?" Alex asked.

"I know it took me longer than usual to help both of you. But that's about it." Max added just as confused. 

"I had my abilities for a little while, so maybe Max and I only had a small part of the serum get into our systems. You two took the full brunt of the gas into your systems. Let's hope that it will go away and you'll both get your abilities back." Isobel stated.

"And if we don't? Or if it's a matter of when and we won't know for a long time, then what?" Alex wondered aloud. He started looking around the bunker in drawers and files.

"Alex? What are you doing?" Max asked.

"There must be an antidote." Michael explained, going around and helping Alex. "If he made a serum than there must be an antidote." he finished.

"They have one brain." Isobel whispered to Max.

Max smiled but then joined in the search along with Isobel.

"This is it." Michael said holding up a syringe. It said 'ferus Hippomedon quamquam' on the side of the tube.

"How can you be so sure?" Max asked reading the name on the side.

"Because ferus Hippomedon quamquam is latin for antidote." both Michael and Alex said at the same time.

"I hate smart people." Isobel said in mock disgust. 

They injected themselves with the serum after finding several of them, and Michael tried first. When he was able to move one of the monitors he put his fist in the air and exclaimed. "Yes!"

Alex tried next and was able to move another one.

Soon they all had taken the serum, Max and Isobel, just in case, and they moved the whole bunker out in a few hours. The only thing left was Jesse Manes. 

Max dissolved the blood and that left them with just the corpse. 

"Well, what are we going to do?" Max asked with a frown, looking down on the body.

They all looked to Alex. 

What if we make it look like suicide, Max?" asked Alex. "If we put the pistol in his mouth and make it obvious, will there be any reason for an autopsy if it looks cut and dry?"

"What about the other holes in his chest." Isobel asked looking at the four holes, everyone of them in his heart, dead center.

"I'll heal them and then it will just be the bullet in his head. And if you, Alex, as the next of kin decide to pass on the autopsy it will just be declared a suicide." Max answered, shifting to his other leg and looking down at the body again. Then he bent down and healed Jesse Manes.

"What about your brothers?" Michael asked Alex. 

"They won't care. They're all deployed and won't come back for the funeral never mind care about an autopsy."

When they all stared at him he shrugged. "He was abusive to all of us. They won't be sorry he's gone either."

"Well then there you go, that's the plan." Michael stated and they did just that.

That night Michael held Alex and kissed his head softly. They were sitting on the couch facing a fire in the hearth. Alex's head leaning back against Michael's shoulder.

"You wanna talk about it?" Michael inquired.

"You mean am I going to all of a sudden realize I killed Daddy Dearest and have a meltdown?" Alex asked sitting up and facing Michael.

Michael waited.

"No, Michael, I won't have a meltdown. I did what I had to. He was going to kill Max. There was no doubt about that. And I wasn't going to sit around and watch another person be hurt or killed by that monster." Alex said calmly.

When Michael didn't seem convinced Alex wasn't going to have that meltdown, Alex continued.

"Would I have killed him if he hadn't tried to kill Max? No. I would have been just as happy to see him court marshaled and sent to prison for using air force equipment and surveillance for his own purposes." Alex confirmed and this time looked Michael in the eyes levelly for a good 20 seconds. 

"I'm okay, Michael, I really am." 

"Well good, cause I'm glad that mother fucker is dead." 

The next night the whole group met at the Wild Pony. It was a Saturday night and even Kyle was able to be there.

The group was seated at a round table in the middle of the room. They explained what had happened to the rest of their friends, making sure no one else around them could hear. Although they doubted it with the music and loud conversations around them.

Maria and Liz made sure Alex was okay with killing his father, and they finally admitted he was.

Michael had his chair against Alex's so he could put his arm around him and looked to Alex and said in a whisper.

"You're free now, babe." he grinned at his lover.

"We're fee." Alex reminded him.

"We're free." Michael agreed.

"Good. Can we get a puppy now?" Alex asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading my fic. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. And thank you for the comments to those of you who sent them. Very much appreciated. :)


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